Hi and Welcome! My name is Erin Long, and I get to be your instructor for Counseling 61: Learning and Study Techniques. I am glad to end the fall 2026 semester with you to support you both throughout our course, and provide counseling support as well!
In addition to teaching, I meet with students daily during counseling appointments. These appointments are available to support you with academic, personal and career information, issues and counseling!
Please take a few minutes to read through this site, and learn about our course and then explore the rest of this page to get an early grip on this course.
I look forward to seeing you in our class online, asynchronously (not during a specific time) and during my support hours throughout the semester!
You'll find the link to our course at the bottom of this page.
This is an asynchronous online course, which means you will have asynchronous (not live) lectures and assignments due on Wednesdays and Sundays.
This is an 8-week course.
This course begins on Monday, October 19, 2026 and ends on Wednesday, December 16, 2026.
Our course will be published in Canvas at 10:00am on October 19, 2026.
Coursework for each week will be made available at the beginning of the week.
The content of the course each week will consist of reading, videos, discussions and assignments.
All coursework will be due either Wednesday by 11:59pm or Sunday in Canvas by 11:59pm.
This class is all about you and your success across several aspects of your life. The class will teach you about the skills needed to be successful in college (and set you up to have positive habits throughout your life, if I am honest.) We will be practicing these skills, so reading and being present through each page of our course in Canvas is important.
I can imagine that the reason many of you chose to take this class is, like me when I was at Saddleback, you may be struggling a little or a lot in your classes and trying to figure out what will help you be successful seems elusive. We will address these things in class each class session! You will only get out of this class as much as you put in, so I encourage you to think about your purpose each time you access, or attend this (or any) class!
On Mondays, I will make an announcement in our course notifying you that it is time to begin the new module. Every Monday, plan to log in to our course, even if it is just for a few minutes. Go to the course homepage, click on the new module (which I will always link to the weekly banner located on the homepage,) review the Module Welcome and Weekly To Do List and take a look at that week's assignment(s) and due date(s).
Doing those simple things each and every Monday is the perfect strategy to prepare for each week of our course. By logging in early it gives you an opportunity to reflect on what's ahead and plan your study time around other important events and commitments you have on your plate that week (which is inevitable!) And if you sense that it is going to be difficult to meet that week's due dates (at the beginning of the week), let me know as soon as possible (pro tip: Not afterwards) and we can work out a different plan. If you run in to an emergency at any point in time, let me know as soon as you can, and I will help you figure out an alternate plan for your coursework. I am always just a message away and I want to support your success!
Download the Canvas Student App on your phone, if possible, and use it to check in frequently on our course.
When in doubt, reach out to me for help, guidance or support!
There are so many ways we can connect to get your question answered. The most important thing for you to know is that communication will ALWAYS benefit you. There is never a time when avoidance will make things disappear, so let's figure this out together!
Also, important to note, that I am never sitting in judgement of you, I took this class myself when I was in school, and I am a constant work in progress.
I prefer for you to email me through Canvas inbox, which is located on the left pane of your Canvas web application or at the bottom of your Canvas app on your phone.
You can also email me from your own email to elong@saddleback.edu.
During the week, Monday - Friday (excluding holidays) you can expect a response within 24 hours. If you do not hear back from me within that time, please reach out again to make sure that there wasn't a technical glitch, which can sometimes occur.
You can also "text me" on Teams.
You have access to Teams (along with all Microsoft 365,) through your Saddleback Logins page with your Saddleback log in.
This is a great way to get ahold of me!
If you prefer to speak with me live, please check my booking page to find a time that works for you when I am available.
If you do not see a time that works, please complete my appointment request form and I will get back to you to book a time with you.
I cannot book an appointment with you same-day, but if you need immediate assistance, please contact the Counseling Office 949-582-4572 and ask to speak with me on callback.
Please note that I am not available on Tuesday evenings and Wednesdays, all day, unless I book an appointment with you in advance, so please do not contact the Counseling Office about our class on Tuesday evenings, and Wednesdays.
You can still email and Teams me on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and I will be able to respond to you.
AND if you need general counseling assistance on any day of the business week, please feel welcome to contact the Counseling Office to speak with any counselor any time we are open.
If you have questions about our course, I encourage you to come early to class, ask during class, or post in our Question & Answer Lounge, located within our course in Canvas under Discussions, there is also a link on our homepage. Questions posted in the Q&A Lounge will be visible by everyone in the course, and can be answered by anyone (in fact, if you answer a peer's question, you will get 5pts of extra credit!)
If your question is personal in nature, please email me directly.
I will provide you with a clear, organized course that is designed to ensure you meet our course outcomes in a meaningful manner.
I will provide a variety of assignments to ensure your learning needs are met.
I will be actively present in your learning.
I will provide a supportive and safe environment for you to share and discuss ideas with your peers.
I will reach out to you when I sense that you need support.
I will treat you with dignity and respect and be flexible to support your individual needs.
I won't be perfect. I am human and will make mistakes at times. I will view mistakes as an opportunity to learn and grow.
Is there anything else you would like to add to this list?
We will visit expectations again in our first class, so think of what you need from me to be successful, and what I can expect from you in order to support your success!
You strive to be an active participant in this course and strive to meet due dates.
You will maintain an open line of communication with me so I understand how to support you.
You will contact me if you have a concern with meeting a due date.
You strive to regularly contribute to collaborative activities to ensure other members of the community have ample opportunity to read/listen, reflect, and respond to your ideas.
You will treat your peers with dignity and respect.
You will do your best to have patience with technology. There will be hiccups, expect them. We will get through them together.
You will give yourself grace. Expect to make mistakes. You are human and you are stressed.
Is there anything else you would like to add to this list?
To access our course, you will log in to Canvas using your Saddleback login (first part of your Saddleback email address before the @) and then your password.
If you have trouble logging in to Canvas, or are experiencing technical issues, click the button below to reach support resources.